City Corporation introduces new wind condition guidelines

The City of London Corporation has recently published the UK’s first wind microclimate guidelines for new development proposals in the Square Mile.

The City of London Corporation has published the UK’s first wind microclimate guidelines for new development proposals in the Square Mile.

Going further than established thinking, the set of guidelines raises the benchmark for acceptable wind conditions in the City, putting the comfort and safety of cyclists and pedestrians first.

The guidelines provide a more robust framework for assessing the impact of planning applications on wind conditions.

They will ensure what were previously acceptable ‘business walking conditions’ are now reclassified as ‘uncomfortable’, and to be avoided other than in exceptional circumstances of limited public access.

For the first time in the UK, effects on cycling comfort and safety arising from wind microclimate are also considered. Wind can, in extreme cases, destabilise or push cyclists into the path of vehicles.

By testing roadways as well as pavements through wind tunnel studies or computer simulations, it is expected that the more robust assessment will lead to a safer and more comfortable urban environment for all – in line with greater use of the City’s streets for cycling, walking and other outdoor activities.

The needs of more vulnerable groups in society are also prioritised, ensuring greater consideration outside areas such as schools or elderly people’s homes.

The City Corporation collaborated with Ender Ozkan of RWDI, a specialist engineering consultancy, and sought input from members of the wind engineering community in preparing these state-of-the-art guidelines. The guidelines build on complex research previously undertaken by RWDI for the City Corporation, which was awarded the Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence at the London Planning Awards 2017.

Alastair Moss, chair of the planning and transportation committee, said: “With the number of tall buildings in the Square Mile growing, it is important that the knock-on effects of new developments on wind at street-level are properly considered.

“These guidelines mark another significant step that the City Corporation is taking to put cyclists and pedestrians at the heart of planning in the Square Mile, prioritising safety and experience.”